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Best Self-Help Books: Habits, Mindset and Practical Change

Self-help books aim to change something in your life, such as habits, focus, money or confidence. This list gathers the self-help titles in our catalog, from long-time bestsellers to recent ones.

Each book has a hook and a plain note on what you will be able to do after reading it. They are ordered by reader interest. For sales figures, see our list of best-selling self-help books.

Best for: Readers who want practical help with habits, mindset and daily life.

Scope: Books in our catalog with this genre.
Order: By reader interest (Open Library want-to-read counts), then newest first. Not a quality ranking.

62 books

2018
Atomic Habits
James Clear
Self-help · Hopeful
James Clear explains habits as a cycle of cue, craving, response and reward
What you get: A clear, friendly system for building good habits and dropping unhelpful ones, with small changes you can start today and watch add up. You finish with a plan, not just motivation.
Amazon Description
1998
The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene
Self-help · Dark
Robert Greene sets out 48 laws of power, each illustrated with historical examples
What you get: A rich collection of stories from emperors, courtiers and strategists, each paired with a lesson on influence. It sharpens how you read people and situations.
Amazon Description
1997
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Robert T. Kiyosaki
Self-help · Hopeful
Robert Kiyosaki tells financial lessons through parables about his rich dad and his poor dad
What you get: A fresh way to think about money, assets and work, told through two very different father figures. It opens your eyes to new questions about how wealth is built.
Amazon Description
2016
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Mark Manson
Self-help · Thoughtful
Mark Manson argues that finding meaning in life's struggles is a better approach than pursuing happiness
What you get: A refreshing, straight-talking guide to choosing your priorities and letting the rest go. It brings relief, a few laughs and a calmer way to look at everyday problems.
Amazon Description
1937
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
Self-help · Hopeful
Napoleon Hill condenses his study of wealthy people into thirteen principles he calls a Philosophy of Achievement
What you get: A burst of focus and drive, plus a step-by-step way of thinking about goals, persistence and the people around you. A classic to pick up when you want to aim higher.
Amazon Description
1936
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie
Self-help · Hopeful
Dale Carnegie turns his business education courses into principles for handling people
What you get: Simple, time-tested ways to make people feel heard and to get along with almost anyone. The advice is easy to try the same day and keeps working long after you close the book.
Amazon Description
1989
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen R. Covey
Self-help · Thoughtful
Stephen Covey presents seven habits that move readers from dependence to independence to interdependence
What you get: A thoughtful way to organize your time around what matters most, with habits that improve how you lead yourself and work with others. You come away with clearer priorities.
Amazon Description
1952
The Power of Positive Thinking
Norman Vincent Peale
Self-help · Hopeful
Minister Norman Vincent Peale offers case histories, affirmations and visualization for overcoming inadequacy and practicing faith
What you get: Uplifting advice, short exercises and a steady voice that helps you look at your life with more courage and optimism.
Amazon Description
2016
Deep Work
Cal Newport
Self-help · Thoughtful
The value of focus in a distracted world
What you get: A practical playbook for protecting your attention and producing your best work. Clear strategies help you build routines that bring calm, focus and real results.
Amazon Description
1997
The Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle
Self-help · Warm
Eckhart Tolle encourages attention to the present moment over worry about the past or future
What you get: A calm, reassuring guide to living in the present moment. Its ideas for easing worry and enjoying the here and now are easy to try, and many readers return to it again and again.
Amazon Description
1926
The Richest Man in Babylon
George S. Clason
Self-help · Warm
Financial advice told as parables about Arkad, a poor scribe who became the richest man in ancient Babylon
What you get: Simple money principles delivered as vivid tales from ancient Babylon. They are easy to remember and apply, and they build confidence about saving and growing your money.
Amazon Description
2018
12 Rules for Life
Jordan B. Peterson
Self-help · Thoughtful
Jordan Peterson's twelve essays, one per rule, draw on psychology, mythology, religion and personal anecdotes
What you get: Thought-provoking essays that give you plenty to discuss and consider, along with clear ideas for taking charge of your own life and setting your house in order.
Amazon Description
2006
The Secret
Rhonda Byrne
Self-help · Hopeful
Rhonda Byrne presents the law of attraction as a three-step process: ask, believe and receive
What you get: An upbeat, encouraging read about the power of positive thinking and imagining what you want. It leaves you with a bright outlook and plenty of motivation to start.
Amazon Description
2006
Mindset
Carol S. Dweck
Self-help · Hopeful
Why a fixed or growth mindset shapes success
What you get: A hopeful, research-based idea that abilities can grow. You gain practical ways to approach learning and setbacks with curiosity, and to encourage the same in others.
Amazon Description
2012
The Power of Habit
Charles Duhigg
Self-help · Thoughtful
Reporter Charles Duhigg draws on scientific research to explain why habits form and how they can change
What you get: An engaging tour of the science of habits, from kitchens to boardrooms, with practical ideas for changing your own routines. You see everyday behavior in a new light.
Amazon Description
1997
The Four Agreements
Don Miguel Ruiz
Self-help · Warm
Don Miguel Ruiz offers a code of conduct he says is based on Toltec teachings
What you get: Four simple principles that are easy to carry in your head and apply every day. A small book that leaves you feeling lighter and more intentional about how you speak and think.
Amazon Description
1964
Games People Play
Eric Berne
Self-help · Thoughtful
Psychiatrist Eric Berne uses transactional analysis to catalog the patterned games people play in social interactions
What you get: An accessible, eye-opening look at how people interact.
Amazon Description
1992
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
John Gray
Self-help · Light
John Gray uses a Mars and Venus metaphor to explain relationship problems between men and women
What you get: Simple, memorable ideas that help you talk and listen with more kindness.
Amazon Description
1959
The Magic of Thinking Big
David J. Schwartz
Self-help · Hopeful
David J. Schwartz's 1959 self-help book was among Simon & Schuster's all-time paperback best sellers by 1982
What you get: Direct, motivating ideas that help you raise your goals.
Amazon Description
1997
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
Robin Sharma
Self-help · Warm
A business fable about a lawyer-turned-seeker and the Himalayan journey that follows selling his Ferrari
What you get: A quick, encouraging story with practical ideas for living more fully.
Amazon Description
1998
Who Moved My Cheese?
Spencer Johnson
Self-help · Light
An allegory about two mice and two Littlepeople searching a maze for cheese
What you get: A quick, friendly fable that makes change feel less intimidating. It is easy to share and gives you a handy picture to remember when things shift.
Amazon Description
1984
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Robert B. Cialdini
Self-help · Thoughtful
Robert Cialdini identifies six principles of influence after three years of undercover work in sales and fundraising
What you get: Clear, memorable principles of persuasion with lively examples. You will start spotting them everywhere and make better decisions.
Amazon Description
2013
You Are a Badass
Jen Sincero
Self-help · Light
Jen Sincero's guide to stopping self-doubt and starting to live an awesome life
What you get: Lively, encouraging advice that makes you want to take action.
Amazon Description
2007
The 4-Hour Workweek
Timothy Ferriss
Self-help · Light
Tim Ferriss argues against working for decades to retire, and calls his alternative lifestyle design
What you get: A lively, energetic blueprint for rethinking work, time and lifestyle. It sparks fresh ideas about what your own life could look like and how to start building it.
Amazon Description
1960
Psycho-Cybernetics
Maxwell Maltz
Self-help · Hopeful
Plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz argues that the brain is a machine its owner can control
What you get: Practical exercises that help you shape a more positive view of yourself.
Amazon Description
1940
How to Read a Book
Mortimer J. Adler
Self-help · Thoughtful
How to get more from the books you read
What you get: Practical, clear guidance that helps you read with more focus, insight and enjoyment.
Amazon Description
2016
The Daily Stoic
Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman
Self-help · Thoughtful
366 daily meditations on wisdom, perseverance and the art of living, from Stoic philosophy
What you get: A page a day of Stoic wisdom to start the morning with steadiness and perspective. Easy to dip into, it becomes a rewarding daily ritual.
Amazon Description
2002
Crucial Conversations
Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan & Al Switzler
Self-help · Thoughtful
Tools for holding productive conversations when the stakes are high, by the four co-founders of VitalSmarts
What you get: Practical tools that make hard conversations feel manageable.
Amazon Description
2014
Make It Stick
Peter C. Brown & Henry L. Roediger III & Mark A. McDaniel
Self-help · Hopeful
The science of how we learn best
What you get: Evidence-based, practical ideas that make studying feel smarter and more effective.
Amazon Description
2005
A New Earth
Eckhart Tolle
Self-help · Warm
Eckhart Tolle writes about the ego, the pain-body and living in the present moment
What you get: Gentle, thought-provoking ideas that help you step back from daily stress.
Amazon Description
2001
Getting Things Done
David Allen
Self-help · Light
David Allen's method for moving tasks out of your head and into a system you can act on
What you get: A practical system for capturing everything on your mind and deciding what to do next, so you feel organized and in control.
Amazon Description
1976
Your Erroneous Zones
Wayne W. Dyer
Self-help · Hopeful
Wayne Dyer's 1976 book on feelings, habits, self-worth, guilt and living in the present moment
What you get: Clear, direct advice that helps you take charge of your own mind.
Amazon Description
1984
You Can Heal Your Life
Louise Hay
Self-help · Warm
Louise Hay proposes that thought patterns affect the body, and offers mirror work and affirmations
What you get: Warm, encouraging ideas to help you think kindly about yourself.
Amazon Description
1999
Nonviolent Communication
Marshall B. Rosenberg
Self-help · Warm
A framework for speaking honestly, listening with empathy and handling conflict
What you get: A clear, calm approach to conversations that helps you connect.
Amazon Description
1992
Boundaries
Henry Cloud & John Townsend
Self-help · Hopeful
Henry Cloud and John Townsend on when to say yes and how to say no
What you get: Clear, compassionate guidance for setting healthy limits in relationships, so you feel more at peace and more yourself.
Amazon Description
2010
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Marie Kondo
Self-help · Light
Marie Kondo's KonMari method: tidy once, by category, and keep only what brings joy
What you get: A cheerful, practical method for tidying your home, category by category, and keeping what you love. Expect a fresh, light feeling and the motivation to begin.
Amazon Description
2021
Four Thousand Weeks
Oliver Burkeman
Self-help · Thoughtful
Time is short, so what should you do with it
What you get: A wise and witty reframing of time that replaces productivity pressure with perspective. You come away feeling lighter and more at peace with how you spend your days.
Amazon Description
2014
Essentialism
Greg McKeown
Self-help · Thoughtful
Greg McKeown argues for focusing on a few essential priorities and cutting the trivial demands
What you get: A refreshing method for saying no with confidence and choosing the few things worth your time. You finish with more space, more clarity and a calmer schedule.
Amazon Description
1978
The Road Less Traveled
M. Scott Peck
Self-help · Thoughtful
M. Scott Peck opens with “Life is difficult” and argues for self-discipline, responsibility and love
What you get: A wise, honest book that helps you face life with more courage.
Amazon Description
1986
Codependent No More
Melody Beattie
Self-help · Thoughtful
Melody Beattie describes codependency and urges readers to put themselves first and set boundaries
What you get: Supportive, practical guidance that helps you focus on your own well-being.
Amazon Description
1980
Feeling Good
David D. Burns
Self-help · Hopeful
David Burns popularized cognitive behavioral therapy for general readers, linking negative feelings to thoughts and perceptions
What you get: Clear, step-by-step exercises that help you change negative thinking.
Amazon Description
1992
Your Money or Your Life
Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez
Self-help · Hopeful
A nine-step program for changing your relationship with money, based on the authors' own simple living
What you get: Practical steps that help you spend with purpose and gain freedom.
Amazon Description
2003
The Total Money Makeover
Dave Ramsey
Self-help · Hopeful
Dave Ramsey's seven baby steps for paying off debt, budgeting and building wealth
What you get: Straightforward steps and motivating stories that help you take control of money.
Amazon Description
1991
Awaken the Giant Within
Tony Robbins
Self-help · Hopeful
Tony Robbins sets out strategies for mastering your emotions, body, relationships, finances and life
What you get: Motivating exercises and ideas that help you take action today.
Amazon Description
2013
Lean In
Sheryl Sandberg
Self-help · Hopeful
Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In encourages women to assert themselves at work and at home
What you get: Candid stories and ideas that help you speak up and aim higher.
Amazon Description
1969
I'm OK, You're OK
Thomas A. Harris
Self-help · Thoughtful
Thomas A. Harris presents transactional analysis as a method for addressing personal challenges
What you get: Clear, easy-to-grasp ideas for better communication.
Amazon Description
1982
The One Minute Manager
Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson
Self-help · Light
A short story about a young man searching for an effective manager and the three techniques he learns
What you get: A quick, easy story with practical ideas you can use at once.
Amazon Description
2021
Set Boundaries, Find Peace
Nedra Glover Tawwab
Self-help · Hopeful
Therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab shows how to set healthy limits with family, friends and work
What you get: Clear, step-by-step ideas that help you say no kindly.
Amazon Description
2019
Burnout
Emily Nagoski
Self-help · Hopeful
Emily and Amelia Nagoski explain how to complete the stress cycle
What you get: Clear, practical ideas to understand stress and recover your energy.
Amazon Description
2018
Girl, Wash Your Face
Rachel Hollis
Self-help · Hopeful
Rachel Hollis takes on the lies women tell themselves, one chapter at a time
What you get: A friendly, straight-talking mix of stories and advice that leaves you encouraged and ready to take the next step.
Amazon Description
Designing Your Life
2016
Designing Your Life
Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Self-help · Hopeful
Using design thinking to plan a career and a life
What you get: Simple, hands-on exercises that help you try ideas and shape a life you like.
Amazon Description
2015
Big Magic
Elizabeth Gilbert
Self-help · Light
Elizabeth Gilbert encourages readers to live a creative life without fear
What you get: Encouraging, playful advice that makes creative work feel lighter.
Amazon Description
2012
Daring Greatly
Brené Brown
Self-help · Hopeful
Brené Brown on why vulnerability takes courage and how it changes work, love and parenting
What you get: An inspiring, research-based look at vulnerability that helps you speak up, try new things and connect honestly.
Amazon Description
2011
Self-Compassion
Kristin Neff
Self-help · Hopeful
Researcher Kristin Neff on the power of being kind to yourself
What you get: Clear, practical steps to treat yourself with warmth and understanding.
Amazon Description
2010
The Gifts of Imperfection
Brené Brown
Self-help · Hopeful
Brené Brown's ten guideposts for letting go of perfectionism and living with worthiness
What you get: A warm, encouraging guide that helps you be kinder to yourself and live with more courage and joy.
Amazon Description
2004
Your Best Life Now
Joel Osteen
Self-help · Hopeful
Pastor Joel Osteen's seven steps to living at your full potential
What you get: Encouraging, optimistic ideas that lift your spirits.
Amazon Description
2003
Radical Acceptance
Tara Brach
Self-help · Hopeful
Psychologist Tara Brach shows how to meet fear and shame with kindness
What you get: Gentle, practical guidance that helps you feel calmer and more at peace.
Amazon Description
1995
Simple Abundance
Sarah Ban Breathnach
Self-help · Warm
A daybook of comfort and joy that thirty publishers turned down before Warner Books took it
What you get: Warm, daily encouragements that help you notice joy in small things.
Amazon Description
1992
The 5 Love Languages
Gary Chapman
Self-help · Warm
Pastor Gary Chapman describes five ways partners express and experience love
What you get: A simple, memorable way to talk about affection, with practical ideas for showing love in the way your partner values most. It opens warmer, more open conversations.
Amazon Description
1980
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
Adele Faber
Self-help · Hopeful
Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish show how to talk with children so conversations go better
What you get: Practical examples and simple phrases that help you connect and cooperate with kids.
Amazon Description
1970
What Color Is Your Parachute?
Richard Nelson Bolles
Self-help · Hopeful
A guide for job hunters and career changers, revised every year from 1975 until the author's death in 2017
What you get: Clear exercises and ideas that help you find work that fits you.
Amazon Description
1946
Man's Search for Meaning
Viktor E. Frankl
Self-help · Thoughtful
Psychologist Viktor Frankl describes his experience in Nazi concentration camps and sets out his theory of logotherapy
What you get: A powerful, uplifting account of finding purpose in the most demanding circumstances. It stays with you and offers a steady source of perspective and courage.
Amazon Description